Ashley Woody, 33, is the executive producer at full-service event production and design company Best Events. She’s based in Los Angeles.
My career journey:
I attended the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising for visual communications, but left college directionless. I knew I was an artist, but I didn’t know where to go to help nurture my budding creativity. At a local show called Bananas in Leimert Park, I met someone who asked if I would be interested in singing on a record. That gave way to a semi-successful music career. For the following eight years, I moved across the country chasing the dream of singing and songwriting.
During that time, I harnessed a lot of my talents by learning to produce my own music videos, curating all the visuals that go into releasing music, the logistics of running a website, how a music studio is ran, monetizing merchandise, the importance of “who you know,” performing, ticket sales, public relations, and everything in between. The music had a few promising moments, but never stuck, to my devastation.
I remember feeling pressured to find my career. Many of my successful peers were in marketing or real estate, so I went and got my real estate license. I didn't do anything with it, and I continued to take odd jobs. I knew I was destined for something big, and regardless of what kind of jobs I took on, there was always this gut feeling of “is this it?”
Woody likes to operate day-to-day on what she called the "Trifecta of Happiness," which she described as "equal parts exercise, social interaction, and creation."Photo: Melissa Kobe
I moved back to Los Angeles less than a week after that Golden Globes event and started working at Best Events full time. My first year in the industry, I had more than 20 events under my belt and was flying from state to state a few times a month, producing a tour for a corporate rideshare company. I finally found a job that matched my energy.
As of today, my studios are seeing a positive cash flow that seems to be increasing every month. I am an executive producer at Best Events with a small, nimble and mighty team that expands and contracts based on the event needs. What I love about Best is that, where most agency producers are merely responsible for budgeting and execution, I am awarded an opportunity to not only budget and execute, but to be the client relationship, the creative director, the set decorator, the graphic designer, the fabrication lead, and everything in between.
I’ve always had a love for non-traditional weddings, so when COVID hit and we all got laid off, I started ‘Til Death Creative Agency. The hope was that the agency would do non-traditional weddings, social events for brands that didn’t fit into traditional molds, and creatively direct photo and video shoots that juxtaposed the clean, high-fashion editorial imagery, but shot on a 35 mm film camera to give it grungy, grittiness.
I was utilizing Peerspace to curate photo shoots, but after going to so many studios and seeing the same sets over and over, it dawned on me that I should open my own. I understood scenic and set builds, and I knew how to market it. Over two years, I curated two different studios, The California Room and The Gucci Room. If COVID taught event professionals one thing, it’s to diversify, and this was my solution for that. ‘Til Death took on a new shape, which was less experiential, and more venue ownership, which I continue to expand upon.
When COVID hit, Woody founded 'Til Death Creative Agency to produce "non-traditional weddings [and] social events for brands that didn’t fit into traditional molds."Photo: Shari Hoffman
As my fellow peers understand, no two days are ever the same. Some days might be heavy on the creative, other days can be all budget and administrative.
Personally speaking, what I’ve learned in my last few years of growth is what I call my “Trifecta of Happiness.” I need consistent and equal parts exercise, social interaction, and creation. I believe that everyone has their own “big three;” however, mine are very specific and necessary to my well-being, therefore, every day I try to incorporate them.
I do my best up to five days a week to get a workout in the morning. It keeps me grounded and helps me find my zen as I enter the insanity of the day. By exercising in the morning, it frees my evenings to spend time with my loved ones, which is a major part of decompression of the job for me. I am very lucky that at Best Events, I get to play a major role not only as producer, but as creative director. The creator in me gets to spend everyday building something out of nothing, coming up with original ideas, and curating spaces.
Professionally speaking, in the office, we are working on as many as five events at any given time. Some days are more chaotic than others, but all in-office days are spent heads down in meetings, internal ideation, and pushing events forward.
Our office is based out of a house in a residential neighborhood in West Hollywood, and we have a very communal office. We spend a lot of time together. We consume a lot of coffee. We spitball ideas back and forth. But ultimately, our days are spent in the nitty gritty of production. By the way, if anyone can figure out how to add more time into a day, let me know!
My leadership style:
I love my team so much—everyone from the core team to the guys on-site unloading the trucks to the vendors who make this happen. Everyone has become such a family to me, being in the trenches together and whatnot. I am still a student, learning and growing, and they remain patient with me as I figure it out.
That being said, I never call my team to do something I wouldn’t do. I have unloaded hundreds of trucks, moved hundreds of pounds of furniture. I have run cable. I have climbed in the back of a fully packed semi to check furniture counts. I have gone on runs and made returns. If I ask someone to do something, I have done it before.
My most memorable event:
In June, my team and I produced a wedding for an iconic pop princess. The guest list was intimate, the florals were stunning, and the event itself was beautiful. To call a wedding of that caliber was unforgettable.
That event opened my eyes to the vile nature of paparazzi and internet trolls. While obviously, their tactics are knowingly disturbing, to witness it first hand was jaw dropping. My team and I still get weekly internet trolls in our DMs. The drones in the sky, the strangers lurking about, the complete disregard for someone’s privacy was beyond.
All that to say, it was ultimately a very successful, very beautiful event for a childhood hero.
The advice I would give my younger self:
Walk with one foot in front of the other. Your ambition might outweigh your skill set, but trust the process and give yourself time. You will land right where you’re supposed to. Say yes to every interesting opportunity that shows up for you, even if it’s something you wouldn’t traditionally say yes to. Go to weird concerts, demolition derbies, seafood festivals, bars you think are too dingy or too bougie, cities you wouldn’t have otherwise gravitated toward. Try every meal once, even if you don’t want to. Meet people and be kind to everyone. It’s a small world, and you will cross paths with the unsuspected. Be calculated in your movements. If something doesn’t feel right, it’s not. Most importantly, trust your gut.
When it comes to inspiration, Woody seemingly finds it from everything life has to offer—but it ultimately comes down to good design. Take it from this Netflix Emmys after-party that Best Events produced in 2022.Photo: Tiffany Rose
Music. Travel. Hotel lobbies. Little Prince in Santa Monica. Kelly Wearstler. Heimat. Abstract florals. Maximalism. Pantone colors. Gucci wallpaper. Gucci everything. Rock and roll autobiographies. Sarah Bahbah. Storytelling. Canyon walls. London. Whatever is lurking under the ocean. Summer nights. Bonfires. Isa Isa Floral. Road trips. Tate Modern. Architecture. Jimmy Marble. Color. Ceramics. Citrus as decor. Unique fabrics. Monochromatic spaces. Paris. Deep conversations about existentialism. Ultimately, good design.
What’s next for me:
I have had so much fun producing events and expanding our team, and plan to continue to do so. I will be adding on a third studio to the ‘Til Death Studios portfolio later this year. I’m currently working on a blueprint to open up the best karaoke bar Los Angeles has ever seen. The hope is for this year to be the start of my entrepreneurial endeavors in hospitality and property investments.
My ideal day OOO:
Let's be real—in office or not, I'm always "in office!" However, I love Sundays. They are a great example of the perfect regular day off work. I sleep in until 8 a.m., wake up, drink coffee, read a book, and then head to my favorite restaurant, Little Prince, for the best meal of the week—brunch. From there, I will go to the farmer’s market or head to the beach with my favorite person of all time, my dog Billie (yes, she's a person!).
BizBash's 2023 40 Under 40 list is sponsored by VDA, a Massachusetts-based experiential marketing and event design agency that specializes in custom live, hybrid, and virtual experiences designed to drive business growth through client collaboration and creative thinking.
